1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to golf practice apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Typical golf driving ranges include a number of stalls, each of which is provided with a flat, artificial turf mat with a rubber tee. Shots off of the tee are usually taken with longer clubs or drivers. Players wishing to practice iron shots typically place a golf ball directly on the artificial turf, in order to simulate fairway grass conditions. The flat artificial turf mats used at most driving ranges do not, however, allow a player to simulate uphill, downhill, or sidehill lies, or to take practice shots out of divots such as may be encountered during play on a golf course.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,670 (Feb. 24, 1998) discloses a golf practice platform in which a practice surface can be tilted to simulate uphill, downhill, and sidehill shots by the use of screw drives and a pair of double-acting hydraulic cylinders. A practice mat on the platform has perforations through which bristles may pass to rise above the mat so as to simulate grass conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,870 (Aug. 22, 1995) relates to a golf mat having an artificial grass area with a flat portion, and a hill portion that is surrounded by the flat portion and enables golfers to simulate uphill, downhill and sidehill lies, according to the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,055 (Feb. 3, 1976) describes a portable golf practice device including a frame with side panels that define green and fairway playing surfaces. According to the patent, the panels can be set at a desired inclination to simulate different lies. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,420 (Jul. 21, 1981) which discloses a portable golf practice platform having turf areas, wherein the platform may be set to an angular configuration by a pair of retractable legs; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,988 (May 29, 1973) disclosing a practice putting surface comprised of a number of individual rectangular putting sections.
A golf practice platform that can be set up easily within a driving range stall, and which allows a player to practice shots as desired on flat or inclined lies, would be readily desired by all golfers whether beginner or advanced.
According to the invention, a golf practice platform includes a generally wedge-shaped base having a bottom surface, and an inclined upper surface extending with a determined slope above the bottom surface of the base. A support layer is adhered to the upper surface of the base. A turf layer is adhered to the support layer, and part of the turf layer extends a certain distance beyond the base to cover a ground surface adjacent to that on which the base rests. Accordingly, a golf ball can be placed on the turf layer at a position selected to correspond to an uphill, downhill or sidehill lie, or a flat lie, as desired.